New Developements
by Jexyss
Summary: After the events in China, Jake takes on what he believes to be an easy 500 thousand but finds himself stumbling on a new threat in a world where the deadly virus's take precedence. This time, things go down in the jungles of Asia. Will he be able to stop this new, mysterious enemy before it's too late? JakexSherry Rated M for language/gore/romance
1. Scene 1 : The Hunt

** H**ow could this have happened? All he wanted to do was find a nice, cool spot in the shade and enjoy a juicy apple. Instead, he found himself sweating bullets and wandering through the world's hottest Asian rainforest in order to earn some cash. Normal employment just didn't exactly suit _this_ particular trigger-happy man. He grunted in frustration as an overgrown plant smacked him in the face. Pissed, he retaliated by ripping it from the ground with his superhuman strength and tossed it aside with a huff. That would show it what's what!

Birds and foreign animals played with his acute senses as he tried to get a feel for his surroundings. _Now let's see…_ he thought stopping to wipe the sweat from his brow. His piercing blue eyes surveyed the area for any signs of human habitation. He was on the hunt for a notorious black market fur trade group that was killing Tigers. Such an easy target would normally bore him and he would have declined, if the pay hadn't sparked his interest at 500 grand. _Save some pussy, get paid! Sounds like the good old days. _He had thought at the time…if only he knew he would have to trek through this massive green hell to find them!

_ How much longer, damnit? _ Spotting a red herb nearby, he instinctively headed towards it, as it would more than likely come in handy later. But right as his fingertips brushed the soft leaves, his feet were whipped out from under him and he was flung upside down in a matter of seconds by a hidden rope.

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" he roared when his swinging had calmed down. He easily hoisted his upper body up towards his feet and tore at the ropes that had snared him like tissue paper, dropping to the ground with an unpleasant thump. "Takes more than some silly little snare to catch _me_..." He said brushing himself off and standing back up. "Well, at least I know the bastards are in the area."

He snatched up the red herb that had enticed him, then shoved it in his pouch and pulled out his 909. If a trap was here, their encampment couldn't be too far. He wasn't about to face these pricks unarmed. Though, he was fairly sure he could still take them all on with his fists if the worse they had was some measly little rope. Of course, that was never the case, at least, not if these fuckers were hunting tigers!

Slowly he moved through the trees and ferns, staying as much in the shadows as possible. Getting the jump on these guys was his priority…he just had to find them first. He froze, holding his breath as an odd sound caught his attention. In this jungle, it could damn well be anything, but he needed to be sure it wasn't a threat before continuing on.

One minute went by with no further sounds. He relaxed just a second before realizing that silence in a jungle was usually a bad thing…a _very _bad thing. Tensing, he slouched inside of a brush with his back to a massive tree. He breathed along with the wind that played with the leaves as his eyes darted every which way.

He smelt it before he heard it when the wind had changed direction. It was the stench of blood and the sound of tearing flesh. He rested his index finger on the trigger of his 909 as he tried finding the source. Was it a tiger? Leopard? Or some other feasting predator? After the things he had seen, he had only _hoped_ it was something so normal. The low growl that had meshed with the slapping of meat and blood told him that this was certainly not human…at least not a living one.

Slowly he shuffled around the tree to take in what he was unable to see before. He needed to find this beast before it found him. It was then that he saw it. Not even twenty yards ahead of him was an encampment…or at least, what was left of one. Scattered all around were the bodies of several men. He was unable to count how many, due to several being torn to pieces and their limbs being strewn about everywhere. Blood adorned the tents and pelts that had been flayed from their unfortunate victims and hung for cleaning. It was the poacher's camp.

Movement from inside one of the tents grabbed his attention and he moved forward staying crouched. Whatever did this was still around, despite the feasting noises having stopped. Every brush of wind and every twitch of leaves distracted him. He was grateful for his hair being buzzed off, despite still showing signs of his red locks. The last thing he needed was bangs in his eyes. _How the hell did that Leon guy last so long?_ He briefly wondered as he neared the tent's flap.

With his gun ready in one hand, he gently grabbed the loose fabric with the other and carefully pulled it open. In a breath, he had jumped facing the interior with his pistol aimed at whatever was inside.

A monkey had been eating away at a basket of fruit that had spilled during the struggle. It stopped to look at him, and let out an ear piercing noise at being disturbed.

"Tsh!" he cocked his head then lowered his gun sighing, "Stupid Mon-" his breath had suddenly been knocked out of him as he felt claws in his side as something had pounced on him, knocking him several feet from where he had been just moments ago. The weight of the beast pinned him down as he struggled to keep its fangs from sinking into his face with his arms.

The warm stench of its breath jabbed at his nostrils, as drool slapped his eyes keeping him from seeing whatever it was that was attacking him.

"Sorry!" he grunted shifting his feet under it's torso, "I don't kiss on the first date!" using his superhuman strength, he kicked it away from him as the last word left his lips, then quickly regained his footing. "Besides. You need a mint!" he said wiping the drool from his eyes, and waving at the air in front of his nose.

Crouched before him was a massive cat. But this frisky feline was unlike any normal jungle predator he had read about. It stood furless with exposed bloody muscles, and pulsating tendons. Its fangs were like those of a smilodon and four pale eyes watched him from bloody sockets as it began to circle him.

"Oh-ho! You're a big kitty!" he instinctively reached for his pistol, but it had been knocked from him when he was attacked and now lay several yards past this new threat. With no other option, he crouched low and readied his hands, then flicked two fingers at the beast. "Here kitty, kitty. Daddy's ready to play!"

The infected feline readied a pounce, but the sound of a whistle could be heard in the distance and it perked its head up facing the foreign sound. It's body relaxed, it turned to growl at him, and took off in the jungle leaving the man dumbfounded.

"Dunno what the hell _that_ was all about!" he grunted relaxing his stance then walking over to his abandoned pistol and picking it up, "But I think I like it better with that thing not around." His 909 now secure, the sound of birds slowly returned, and he examined the camp. "Looks like that thing did my work for me." He said picking up an arm that was still clutching a gun. He dropped it with a look of disgust then walked over to the tent that the monkey had been in.

It must have left during their shuffle, because it was nowhere to be seen as he entered and took in the chaos. Papers were strewn about torn and bloody blankets, but an undisturbed chest was what caught his attention. It sat with a lock on it, which was easily disposed of with a single bullet.

Inside were documents of sales and species of exotic wildlife that the now deceased had made a living off of. It wasn't particularly interesting, and he was about to leave it, when a vanilla envelope peaked out from beneath the stack. Out of curiosity, he peeled it open and slid the contents out to show papers with the logo of a red and white umbrella on the top and a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo on it. But what really caught his attention was a picture that had been held together with the papers by a paperclip.

It was a picture of the feline he had just fought, and it was caged up.

"So they knew about that thing before it attacked them? What the hell?" confused, he let the papers swing at his side in his hand. Then used his free hand to pull out his phone. He dialed a number from his contacts, and held the phone up to his ear.

It took a moment for the recipient to pick up, "Hey Sherry! Long time no chat!" A smirk crossed his face as a gentle feminine voice sounded from the other end. "The one and only!" A few seconds passed, "Oh you know…here and there. Taking in the sights." Another few seconds and his smirk left almost as quickly as it came, "Well you see, there's a bit of a problem. I was taking a leisurely stroll through the jungle…" he was interrupted, "Yes, a jungle. You know? Big trees, lots of green, mosquito's…usual jungle stuff. Anyway, I was strolling through your friendly neighborhood jungle, and may have stumbled upon something you and your DSO buddies might find interesting."

He reached in one of his pouches that hung attached to his belt, and pulled out his shades, then slipped them on over his eyes, "I've got a _feeling_ we may have some more nutcases on our hands that are playing science class with the local wildlife and that nasty virus you and I are all too familiar with." He sighed staring at the document in his hand, but he nearly dropped it in response to something that had been said on her end, "Oh no, no! You keep your pretty little ass in America. I'll head back and send this crap to you." A minute passed, "Sherry. You don't even know where I am! Besides, I don't need any help! …No, I don't. You know me, super girl. I'm Jake remember? I got this!"

He closed his phone cutting off her reply, then put it back in his pocket and looked around, "…just as soon as I figure out how to get back first."

* * *

_**Let me know what you think! I haven't written any sort of fanfiction for quite a while. I forgot how fun it was! But besides me having fun, and just enjoying Jake's personality, I hope you enjoyed the read and look forward to more. The next chapter is already almost done._


	2. Scene 2 : Lost in paradise

**J**ake wasn't one to ask for help, especially after he had argued with Sherry like that and assured her that he was fine on his own. But a tiny part of him was regretting that pride of his as he fumbled through the foliage with the sun beginning to set.

He hated to admit it…but he was lost.

"I might want to set up some kind of…camp or something." he grumbled stopping to lean against a tree. He had already strayed too far from the poacher's campsite to go back, and he was beginning to regret not grabbing one of those tents, or blankets. But he didn't dwell too much on it. After all, as a mercenary, he was used to sleeping on the ground. Only problem was, he _wasn't _used to sleeping in a fucking rainforest!

He had already seen a giant anaconda lying lazily on a thick tree branch during his wanderings, he was being eaten alive by mosquitoes and other insects, even the flora and fauna seemed to hate him as vines tugged at his legs, and giant plants constantly blocked his path making him feel like he was wandering in a giant hedge maze.

Setting up a place to rest near water was more than likely a bad idea, as he was fully aware of the big baddies that enjoyed their nightly hydration with a possibility of some Jake on the side. Not that he couldn't stand on his own…he just wasn't exactly a kung fu master in his sleep. And there was no telling if that cat-thing would come after him again.

"Tsh…like the 'good old days', indeed." He said quoting his thoughts when retrieving his mission, and flicked his head. Speaking of which, it was time to contact his employer. But he felt coughing up _all_ the details was unnecessary, as that had been the result of unwanted price cuts in the past. He didn't feel like getting all the way out here just to get fucked over in the long run.

Pulling out his phone again, he selected a new contact from his list, and let the phone do the dialing.

"Yeah. It's Red Wolf." He said. Codenames were a usual occurrence with mercenary work, as using your real name could lead to some serious problems in the long run, if not careful. He pulled out his lighter as the recipient spoke on the other end. "Yeah. They're dead." _I just didn't kill them._ "Where's the drop off point? …Mm hmm…yep…ok. I need just a few days. I'll be there. And my money better be there too." He snapped his phone shut then slid down to sit against the tree and sighed.

The forest was dark now, and new sounds began a chorus around him. He had thought about climbing a tree to avoid any snakes or predators on the ground, but he would be useless if something attacked him, unless he slept with his gun in hand. No. He'd be better on the ground where he could easily defend himself should the need arise.

The idea of a fire attracting every living thing within a five-mile radius also didn't really appeal to him, so he put his lighter away and closed his eyes, leaning his head up against the cool bark behind him. That was one thing he was grateful for; the fact that the temperature had dropped to a comfortable level, and he was at least not sweating anymore. However his shirt, having been drenched from his sweat during the day, didn't exactly smell like flowers, and clung to his muscles shaping them out beneath the fabric. He crinkled his nose and groaned.

It wasn't often that his own stench bothered him, but he wanted to get some rest, and his B.O. wasn't exactly lulling him to sleep. Even as a man, it was too much to bear, so he slid his shirt off, peeling it off his finely shaped muscles…not that he was losing any protection, anyway. He stretched it over a nearby branch, hoping the cool wind would air it out by tomorrow, and retook his place by the tree and closed his eyes.

Everything was white. Jake looked down at his feet as he felt his boot crunch in the soft snow that blanketed the ground and his surroundings. Why was there so much snow? Landmarks were meshed together in their pearly new coverings, making it appear as if he were standing in a vast amount of nothingness. A soft sprinkle of snowflakes gently floated down from the heavens and began to collect on Jake's dark attire, almost as if trying to purify him. The silence that surrounded him was both peaceful and terrifying.

He lifted his gloved hand and watched as a few flakes melted against his warm palm, while others began to clutch on for their existence. Without a sound, he looked up, and a bird cage had appeared before him. A large bird cage, big enough to house the petite individual that sat in its dead center dressed in a pure white gown. She sat on her knees with her eyes closed and the gentle snowflakes collecting on her short, golden locks. In her hands she held a vibrant red apple without a bruise on it. It was as flawless as her skin which had been made so by the regenerative properties of the G-virus that coursed through her veins.

Jake took a step towards her, "…Sherry?"

Slowly, she looked up at him opening her silver-blue eyes and gazing deeply into his. Her face was serene but sad. She frowned and tears welled up in her eyes. As a single drop slid down her soft cheek and dropped from her chin, it landed on the apple which proceeded to melt into a pool of thick blood, melting into her lap and staining the purity that had been there just moments before.

Jake couldn't take it anymore. He dashed towards her, but the faster he ran, the further she was. But his stubbornness kept him from giving up. He groaned and picked up his speed, only to have the ground give out from underneath him.

He awoke with a start. The sun had still not risen yet, but the mist and mildew told him that the morning was upon him. Grateful for the undisturbed rest, he got up and plucked his shirt from the branch and sniffed it. The sweat smell still lingered, but for the most part, it was gone. Sliding it back over his torso, he thought back to his dream. Most of it had already left his memory, but he could still picture Sherry sitting there with the apple cupped in her hands.

_What the fuck was _that_ all about? _He wondered checking his gun for any impurities. _This jungle has me losing my damn mind. I need to get the hell out of here. _With his gun checked, and his shirt back on, he picked up a fruit which he had nabbed from the poacher's camp, and proceeded to eat it as he began his trek again. He groaned as he felt the temperature slowly beginning to raise…it was going to be another hot one.

The day went on and the temperature grew as he kept up his pace, much to Jake's dismay. Being born in Edonia, he was used to hot temperatures, but in this damned rainforest, it wasn't just hot but also humid. He wondered how fast he would fry if the sun could actually make its way through the treetops, but pushed the thought from his mind as the sound of running water grabbed his attention.

His pace picked up and he quickly found himself facing a wide opening that revealed a sparkling water pool at the bottom of a steep waterfall and draining into a narrow river that snaked it's way further into the jungle. There was just one problem. The water source that enticed him was about a three story drop from his position.

"When's a guy gonna get a break around here?!" he groaned looking grudgingly at the water below him as he felt saliva begin to well up in the back of his mouth. He stepped up to the edge of the cliff he hadn't realized he was on until now, then peered down to see where he could find his way to that mini paradise that was calling his name. "Sheer drop, eh?" He said twitching his head. "Challenge accepted."

Following the perimeter of the ledge, he checked for any outcrops or rocks that he could use as footing to get himself down. He finally came cross a slight slope that, although still rather deadly, was tilted just enough for him to grip. Swinging his boot down, he felt for his first point of footing, and slowly lowered him down from the safety of solid ground.

It was a slow, tedious process of careful balance and manipulation of his body and weight distribution. Any slipup would lead to certain death and Jake wasn't all that keen on meeting up with the cloaked bastard just yet. After all, he had five hundred thousand dollars just waiting for his company back in Edonia…he wasn't about to disappoint.

"Don't worry, babies, daddy will be back before you know it." He said feeling blindly for another rock.

This one wasn't as secure as he had originally guessed and slid out from its cubby in the cliff face, causing Jake to lose his footing and slide uncontrollably down. _Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!_ He grabbed at anything he could get his hands on, rocks scraped at his face and chest, nicking him here and there. He finally managed to slow himself enough to secure himself tightly against the deadly earth, and hugged the wall with a sigh of relief as he clenched his eyes shut. _Too damn close!_

After resting a moment, he slowly looked down to see if he was getting close. "Oh." He said, realizing he had stopped himself not even a yard from the ground. Jake released his grip and landed safely on the rubble, then staggered towards the water. His legs felt wobbly after that climb down, and he wasn't sure how much more he would have been able to go without some hydration.

He plopped down on his hands and knees then plunged his head into the water taking in big gulps of the all too delicious spring. The refreshing liquid fueled his body and eased his muscles, cooling him down. He forced himself to stop a moment to breath before diving back into this spring that brought life back to his limbs.

After drinking his fill, he stood to gaze around the spring and get his bearings. He sighed at the realization that the discovery of this spring was new to him…meaning, he was even more lost than he was before. Had he somehow got turned around? He rested his hands on his hips then pulled out his phone, staring at it. Should he call her?

Jake hesitated, then snapped the device shut and put it back in his pouch. No. He would do this on his own.


	3. Scene 3 : When the Hunter is Hunted

** J**ake filled his canteen then sat down on the pebbles that lined the water's edge. "Knowing my luck, some massive gator'll come jumping out." He chuckled staring at the water. But he knew better, as the water was so clean, that its rocky bottom was clearly visible. A predator of that size would have a hard time being stealthy.

Watching the unknown, colorful fish swim playfully on the other side of the spring, after being scared over there by Jake's presence; he leaned back onto his palms and smiled closing his eyes and facing the sky. "Maybe things are starting to look up, after all."

No sooner had he finished his sentence, a single drop of rain smacked his forehead causing him to flinch. A frown replaced his smile at this new arrival and he sighed, "Are you serious?" he groaned. It didn't take long for more droplets to fall, until the whole ground, Jake included, was soaked.

He got up and checked around him for some sort of shelter through the wall of rain, and soon rested his eyes on a shallow outcrop built into the cliff side. After squeezing most of his mass into the relatively dry space, he leaned up against the wall and grimaced, "First there's no water, now there's enough to supply a whole damn city!"

A shiver crept up his spine as a slight breeze touched his shirt. It brought back memories of when he had got himself caught in a snowstorm with a certain blond-haired DSO agent. Why was he thinking about her at a time like this? He needed to get out of this hellhole. But, judging by this new development, he was going to be hanging out for a little while. Why not remember the good times since he wasn't exactly doing anything else anyway?

Outside in the rain, something stirred through the tall grass.

Jake played with his lighter, staring at the flame he sparked and then killing it with a quick swipe of his thumb as he slid the lid back on. He repeated this motion several ties until he couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to get out of there; be on the move again, and no little water was going to stop him. Getting to his feet, he stepped back out into the rain. Fortunately, it had eased up a little, but not enough for comfort. But it was time to say goodbye to the little spring, and get out of this jungle.

But Jake didn't get very far before a low rumbling hiss caught his attention. His hand went to his pistol and he pulled it or his holder out in anticipation. Something was out there. He pivoted his head to take in every movement around him, but the rain made it a lot more difficult than it needed to be.

An oddity entered his vision and he squinted his eyes to study it. The rain appeared to be hitting some sort of invisible surface just ahead of him. Before he could fully grasp what they meant, an unseen force pushed into him, knocking him off his feet. It was then that he saw it; a large, serpent-like mouth open before him with wiggling fangs.

_Definitely B.O.W. _he thought rolling out of its path as it struck down onto its position. Jake retook to his feet then looked to see where it had gone. The rain pounded the ground around him. A few seconds of surveillance finally granted him a glimpse at a shimmer in the rain, revealing the snake's location.

Jake fired off his gun, and smirked as he heard his bullets make impact with its flesh; its blood oozed from its wounds. "How do you like _that_ you son of a bitch!?"

In response, the snake coiled itself around hissing angrily, and struck out at him again grazing his side as he tried to dodge. He managed to stay standing as he spun around and watched it slither into the jungle; its camouflage had let up revealing chunks of flesh and scales.

"Where do you think _you're _going?" Jake shouted taking chase, "I'm not through with you!"

He ignored grabbing vines and slapping branches as he kept focus on the fleeing reptile. But when it rounded a large tree, he lost sight of it as he took the corner himself.

"Shit!' he snapped, stopping to grab his side and catch his breath.

Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out the red herb he had picked up the day before, and combined it with a green one that he already had on him then crushed them together into their capsules. Swallowing one, he leaned his palm against a tree and smirked, "Nobody wants to play. Maybe it's my breath?"

But he didn't have time to think before it struck again from a branch above him, knocking him away then slithering up to him to coil itself around his body. Jake had felt the ground shift a little just as the beast reached his position, then the air left his body as it started to squeeze him. Every muscle in his body started to go numb the more he struggled. Looking up, the Iluzja had unhinged its jaw and was preparing to swallow him.

_Well fuck. Snake food? Really? That's how this ends? No valiant death jumping in front of a bullet for a loved one or something?_

Just as he felt its tongue flick the top of his head, the ground beneath them collapsed, and the pair went tumbling into the darkness below. During the fall, the Iluzjas grip on Jake loosened, and he was released as the shadows overtook them.

Slowly Jake awoke groaning in the darkness of an underground tunnel. He leaned up, but jumped as his hand pressed against scaly flesh. The Iluzja lye dead below him; its flesh had provided cushion for his fall, saving his life at the expense of its own.

"Looks like your luck is about as good as mine." he said sliding off of it. Dusting himself off, he looked around letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, "Now to figure out where the hell I am." He walked up to the snake's head and nudged it with his foot, "Any ideas scale brain?"

Jake lifted himself over one of the snake's coils that was in his way, then headed down the tunnel. _The ground's rather smooth. I'd say this is the work of people…not animals. _Using his lighter, he knelt down and confirmed his suspicions; human footprints were clustered together accompanied by what Jake could only guess was wheel marks. Not a vehicle, more like a small wooden cart that whoever used this tunnel would pull behind them. The tracks were a little old, about a day or two by Jake's guess.

_Well I can see why they'd use a tunnel. Damn jungle's too dense to walk through, let alone carry something around._ He stood up and continued down the path. _Good news is this should lead me out of here._ _And…no more rain._ He whistled joyfully.

* * *

_**NOTE: I'm sorry my updates are a bit slow. I have to go to the library to update since I cant afford internet at home, and am currently having family issues. But I have a lot of plans for this story, and hope you continue to enjoy it! Feedback is greatly appreciated, as well as constructive criticism. I felt as though the fight with the Iluzjah could have been written better, but battles have always proved challenging to me._


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